Nominations sought for teaching awards

Nominations are now being sought for the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award, Excellence in Teaching Award, S. Sterling Munro Public Service Teaching Award and the Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence. The Office of Undergraduate Education, with support from the President’s Office, annually recognizes faculty and graduate teaching assistants for their outstanding instructional ability, contributions and achievements.

The Distinguished Teaching Award, given once during the winners’ lifetime, honors several professors based on a number of criteria, including but not limited to the ability to engage students both within and outside the classroom; innovative course and curriculum design; ability to rouse independent and original thinking in students; and mastery of the subject matter. Recipients will receive a $5,000 award. In addition, the Excellence in Teaching Award is given to two graduate teaching assistants for their demonstration of extraordinary ability in the teaching/learning process as a graduate TA. Recipients will receive a $2,500 award.

The S. Sterling Munro Public Service Teaching Award, thanks to a generous gift from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, is given annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in community-based instruction, including public service internships and community partnership projects. Faculty within the UW are eligible to receive the Munro Award. The faculty member recognized, in addition to the $5,000 award, will receive funding for a graduate student to work with during his or her award year by the Office of Undergraduate Education.

The Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence, established by the President’s Office in 1998 thanks to a generous gift from Jeffrey and Susan Brotman, is given to academic units or groups of people who have achieved excellence in teaching and fostered excellent learning throughout a program of study. Programs, departments or groups of faculty and/or staff within the University are eligible to receive an award. Individual Brotman Awards range from $10,000 to $35,000, depending upon the number of awards given in a year. Recipients may use the award money in any way that improves undergraduate education consistent with the mission and spirit of the award.

To nominate a faculty member, graduate teaching assistant and/or department, please submit a letter no more than two pages long specifying examples of the nominee’s attributes. The letter should be submitted to: 2003 Teaching Awards Selection Committee, c/o Dean George Bridges, Office of Undergraduate Education, 220 Mary Gates Hall, Box 352800. Please specify the name of the award on the submission letter along with your name and current postal and/or e-mail address. The deadline for all nominations is Jan. 17. Nominations are also accepted via the web at http://www.washington.edu/oue/academy/awards.html.